Kel guided the half-conscious Micro through the courtyard and up a flight of stairs sticking out of a cliff. As Micro began to wonder why they had started climbing the mountain again, a door in the side of the rock face suddenly appeared before him, beside which several ornate windows were also visible.

“It’s a humble arrangement, but it’s only temporary.” He reassured Micro as he led him through the doorway into a warm room full of fine furniture and decorated with glistening objects Micro couldn’t identify.

“This is the garage?” Micro asked as the warmth of the room brought him partially out of his stupor.

“Perhaps it would be called as such in your world, master.” Kel replied as Micro found the strength to take both the cage of pixies and the bag of honey buns from him.

“An attendant will see to your needs shortly, but please rest for now.”

“Rest…” Micro exhaled as the idea of sleeping began to tempt him as much as the aroma of the honey buns. He gently placed the cage on the floor, then curled up next to it without delay.

“No, master, you…” Kel stuttered as Micro began to drift off. He shook Micro’s shoulder gently to wake him, causing Micro to let out a pained sigh.

“The bed, master. Please, feel free to make use of the bed over there.”

“What bed…?” Micro mumbled.

“Are you not familiar with beds, master?” Kel asked stoically.

“Only the one I used to carry the old man’s vegetables…”

“You- you never slept in a bed?”

“No need…”

“So your training was harsh to such an extent…” Kel muttered in awe.

“I am ashamed to call myself a cultivator in your presence, master.”

“You should be ashamed to call that face your own, you ugly bean pole!” Trill shouted from the cage beside a sleeping Blue.

“I understand that you are in the care of my master, so I will offer what courtesy I can, pixie.” Kel replied with a conflicted expression.

“Please understand that you must remain in that cage for our, excuse me, for your safety… If there is anything you need, the Fire Mountain Turtle Sect is at your service…”

Kel turned to leave before Trill could hurl anymore insults in his direction, and closed the door softly while mumbling something about beds to himself. Trill resumed his pouting in the corner of the cage until he too fell asleep, and the room was filled with nothing but a warm silence for a while.

~

“Excuse me, honoured guest…”

Micro stirred from a deep sleep, waking up to find his hand already in the bag of honey buns. He instinctively took one from the bag and ate it as he sat up on the floor and looked around in an attempt to find the source of the sound that woke him.

“I’m coming in…”

Before he had time to react, the door slowly opened to reveal a young girl, no taller than he was, who felt familiar to Micro at a glance.

“You…” He yawned.

“You look like Tae.”

“Yes?” The girl blurted out, almost dropping the tray she was carrying. She stopped for a moment, but quickly collected herself and continued toward Micro. She knelt in front of him and placed the tray down on the floor in front of him. She then took a bag from her shoulder and placed it beside the tray.

“Who are you?” Micro asked with a smile as he analyzed the items before him.

“My name is Rose.” She replied tentatively. She looked fearfully at the cage containing two pixies, one of which was sleeping and the other of which was pouting. Confirming that the door of the cage was locked, she took a deep breath and continued.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

“I serve the family of the sect leader, though I’m still a novice in many-”

“Meat!” Micro interrupted her with a shout of excitement when he realized one of the dishes on the try in front of him was full of grilled meat. He didn’t hesitate to pick up the bowl and tip the contents into his mouth little by little.

“Honoured guest, your chopsticks…” Rose picked up the two finely crafted sticks on the tray and held them in front of Micro, but he looked at her in confusion as he continued to eat.

“What are-” He belched.

“What are those?”

“Do you perhaps prefer a spoon?” She asked sincerely.

“A knife? A fork?”

“What are those?”

“I…” Rose fell silent as she tried to understand the dilemma, but decided not to push the topic further out of courtesy.

“It’s nothing, honoured guest. Forgive my discourtesy. I am unfamiliar with your customs.”

“It’s okay.” Micro mumbled as he swallowed the last of the meat in the bowl.

“You really do look like Tae.”

“Tae…” Rose whispered.

“She told me…”

“You know Tae?!” Micro asked happily, reaching for a bowl of vegetables.

“Please forgive me, but I must ask you.” She spoke directly.

“Tae told me you saved her from the dungeon. Is that really true?”

“The dungeon?” He asked, struggling to chew on a long, green vegetable he hadn’t seen before.

“Oh, that’s right. I wouldn’t just leave them behind. What kind of truck would I be-”

He suddenly began to cough and sputter as the vegetable became lodged in his throat. Rose offered him a cup of tea, and he succeeded in washing it down with a few sips.

“Then she was telling the truth…” She said with a frown, trying to understand how the boy in front of her could have played such an important role in the young master’s quest.

“But then, I owe you my thanks.”

Without any further reservations, she placed her head on the floor. Micro took another sip of tea as she raised her head again to speak, this time with a warmer tone.

“Tae is my elder sister, honoured guest.” She explained.

“My family is indebted to you.”

“It’s okay.” Micro replied.

“It was interesting, and I got two core cards.”

“What?!” She gasped.

“But I’m still not sure what to do with them.” Micro shrugged.

“I thought I was supposed to eat them, but Feng said that wasn’t quite right…”

“You don’t know how to master Core Cards?” Rose asked with an eyebrow raised.

“Even the mundane are aware of such things… Where are you from?”

She began to unpack clothing like the other disciples’ from the bag, then she handed it to Micro. He was relieved not to be covered in rust anymore, but after putting on the long robes, he felt more exposed than ever.

“No bumpers, no doors…” He complained.

“Is it not to your liking?” Rose asked humbly.

“It’s nothing. Thank you for the clothes, Rose.” He said with a bittersweet smile.

“Then, will you tell me where you’re from?”

“I’m from another world, apparently.” Micro replied, looking around at the room.

“Garages are very different there…”

“Another world? Wait, could it be…” Rose’s voice fell to a whisper as one of her eyes began to flicker with a familiar light.

“An artificial vessel… You were summoned here?! Then the rumours were true…”

“I’m still getting used to being in this body, but it hasn’t been all bad.” Micro sighed.

“I need to find a way home soon though… Wait, do you know how to use Core Cards?”

Rose sat silently with her eyes wide, forgetting even to breathe for a moment, but after concluding whatever thought had come into her mind, she smiled brightly at Micro.

“You’re really from another world!” She shouted and brought her hands to her mouth in glee.

“I can’t believe it. They told me you were a guest from abroad, so I thought you were one of those boring old men from out east, but then I saw how young you were, and I wasn’t sure what to think! I can’t believe somebody from another world is sitting in front of me! I have so many questions!”

Micro couldn’t help but lean back as a dense aura of excitement erupted from the young girl in front of him.

“Kel said you were very strong in your world! How strong were you? Were you taller there? What arts did you study? What is the food like where you’re from?” Her questions increased in speed and volume.

“What’s your name?”

“Micro.” Micro interrupted her.

“My name is Micro. My world is a nice place. The roads aren’t perfect, but I miss them very much. I wasn’t very tall, but I was wider. I didn’t really eat, but I’ve been going through oil more quickly recently. I don’t know if you could say I was fast or strong, but I was efficient and reliable. And my driver, he…”

Rose noticed his eyes beginning to water as he recalled more about his world and immediately subdued her curiosity.

“Forgive me, Micro!” She bowed once again.

“I should have been more considerate! Please don’t be angry! How can I make amends?!”

“It’s okay.” Micro wiped his eyes with his hand.

“I’ll return one day, after I find enough core cards.”

“You already have two, but you don’t know how to use them yet?” Rose asked.

“Did your master not teach you anything?”

“I learned a lot from my driver!” Micro asserted.

“But I don’t think we have cards like that in my world.”

“So you don’t know much about cultivation at all?” She asked as she leaned in.

“Almost nothing at all…” Micro replied.

“Then I’ll teach you!” Rose beamed.